The president, who runs a more conciliatory policy than his predecessor to the internationally isolated neighboring country, emphasized: “We tried to deter North Korea and impose sanctions, but the result is that North Korea continues to drive its nuclear program.” The number of nuclear weapons that North Korea has has “increased in the past three to four years”.
According to the Stockholm Peace Research Institute Sipri, North Korea has already assembled an estimated 50 explosive heads and has split material for up to 40 more.
Lee said that South Korea was determined to deter the neighboring country with conventional weapons. At the same time, he referred to efforts to adjust provocations, for example by reducing propaganda speakers on the common border.
Lee had talks with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday. Before the conversation, Trump announced another meeting with North Korea’s international ruler Kim Jong Un.
South Korea’s new President Lee is committed to improving relationships with North Korea. Shortly after taking office in early June, South Korea had partially stopped the loudspeaker propaganda. Shortly afterwards, according to the South Korean army, North Korea stopped transmission via loudspeakers.
North and South Korea, even over seven decades after the end of the Korean War in 1953, were still formally in the state of war. The United States has stationed tens of thousands of soldiers in South Korea, including South Korea’s protection.
